"I want to make every play out there for my guy, but..."
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is known for his flair, flash, and fearlessness on the field, the kind of player who lays it all out for a diving grab or a leaping catch without hesitation, just as he did against the Rays on Sunday. But even he has a line, and on Monday night in Cleveland, that line was a jagged shard of wood flying in his direction.
In a 6–4 loss to the Guardians, Chisholm abandoned a routine-looking play on a soft liner to second base off the bat of Brayan Rocchio. At first glance, it seemed like a defensive lapse. But the reality was far more dangerous: a broken bat had splintered and veered into his path mid-play, forcing a split-second decision between instinct and self-preservation.
“That’s a tough one,” Chisholm admitted after the game. “I want to make every play out there for my guy, but at the same time, you don’t want to die. You got a sharp object coming your way.”
The liner fell for an RBI single, but Chisholm wasn’t about to apologize for protecting himself. He’s seen the worst-case scenario up close – players gashed by airborne shards, injuries that don’t just sideline careers, but could end them. “I’ve seen guys get stabbed with broken bats in person, so I know how bad the injury can be,” he said. “The toughest thing to do as a baseball player right now is to stay on the field. So at the same time, we got to protect ourselves when we’re playing out there, especially when stuff like that is happening.”
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It’s not just theoretical for Chisholm. Years ago in High-A, he took a broken bat to the calf while playing shortstop. The memory stuck. His caution isn’t unique either. Just this past weekend, Rays prospect Junior Caminero bailed on a similar play in Tampa when a broken bat came hurtling toward him off an Aaron Judge grounder. “That’s why I’m a little bit more cautious about going after balls when the bat’s in the same lane,” he explained.
Later in the game, Chisholm launched a two-run homer, his seventh of the season, to pull the Yankees closer slightly closer before the eventually fell 6-4 to the Cleveland Guardians.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. made the right call. It’s April. You don’t want one of your best hitters, most dynamic players hurting themselves over a flyball at what is really not the most crucial time of the season.
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